John Wall's tattoos tell his life story: How many are there, and what do they mean?

John Wall's tattoos tell his life story: How many are there, and what do they mean?

Many celebrities get body art as a form of self-expression or to commemorate significant events in their lives. As a result, most stars have gained fame for their extensive body art collections. Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr, also known as John Wall, an NBA point guard and free agent, is one well-known celebrity with multiple tattoos. Do you want to know the story behind his body art? And what do John Wall's tattoos signify?

John Wall tattoos
John Wall #11 of the LA Clippers dribbles during the second half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on 29 December 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Winslow Townson
Source: Getty Images

Pro basketball player Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr has body art that reflects his life story. He has a body art collection that covers his arms, neck, chest, and back. His body art tells the life story, from his humble beginnings to his success as an NBA player. John Wall's tattoos demonstrate the power of body art as a storytelling medium and their ability to convey personal histories.

John Wall's tattoos

How many tattoos does John Wall have? The athlete has many tattoos. The exact number is difficult to tell because of his constant addition.

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John Wall is among the most heavily tattooed athletes in the world. However, his various body art isn't just aesthetic. The stars' designs are a reflection of multiple chapters in his life. Below is a breakdown of John Wall's tattoos and their meanings.

The torso body art

This body art is the first one Johnathan got. It is a design of his hometown Raleigh, North Carolina, where he grew up. The skyline body art covers John's entire abdomen. The NBA star grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, and as a tribute to his childhood, he made his first tattoo of his home city.

The design choice includes the Raleigh city skyline, the city code (919), the interstate 40 highway code, two hands, two doves, and 5 Deep. Johnathan's first tattoo represents his roots and the importance of remembering his origins.

Neck tattoos

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John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr is showing his neck body art designs. Photo: @stevewiebe on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

What is the tattoo on John Wall's neck? The athlete has more than one tattoo inscribed on his neck. They include a portrait of his mother, Frances Pulley, on the back and front of his neck.

He also has a cote of doves on the right side of his neck. On his left side, he has two dates with a heart shape between them. He has also inscribed "boiley" near the ear and the cancer ribbon near the shoulder.

John's first neck tattoo was on the back of his neck. The star got the design, a portrait of his mother, in late February 2019. The body art includes a picture of a woman with the words "dear mama" at the bottom.

So, what is the meaning of John Wall's neck tattoo of a woman? Johnathan got this tattoo to commemorate his mother after revealing to the public that she was battling cancer. His other piece (on the front) is a tribute to his mother, who died of cancer in December 2019.

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Chest tattoos

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr's chest body art. Photo: @tattoosbyrandy, @johnwall on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

John Wall has various designs on his chest. They include a picture of him as a kid with his dad on the right side. He also has an image of conjoined doves holding a necklace with the initials CW representing his sister Cierra Wall on the centre of his chest. On the left side, John has body art of a rose flower with the words "mommas boy" on top.

Armpit tattoo

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr's armpit body art. Photo: @jakewhitacre, @SherreeBurruss on Twitter (modified by author)
Source: UGC

The athlete has a tattoo on his right armpit. John Wall's armpit tattoo, "5", is his homage to his childhood crew and friends in Raleigh, 5 Deep. John credits his four friends for pushing him to become successful. The star has the words "fear none" on the left armpit.

Rib/side tattoos

Johnathan also has a large owl body art that stretches from his right side to his armpit. The design expresses his belief in the adage no time for sleep, representing his dedication and hard work in achieving his goals and success. On his left side, the star has body art of Jesus praying.

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Left arm

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr's left arm body art. Photo: @BeccaMVP, @Hoop_District on Twitter (modified by author)
Source: UGC

John's arms are among the most tattooed on all his body. His left arm has various designs, including a portrait of money Mitch with the words "love the hustle". He also has inscribed his inner left arm with three jerseys, including the Wizards number 2, the Kentucky number 11 and the Holy Rams number 11 jersey.

These inscriptions represent his playing career. He played for the Word of God (Holy Rams) in high school, and he described his college (University of Kentucky) and his first professional team (Washington Wizards).

Right arm

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr right arm body art. Photo: @stevewiebe on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Johnathan has the words "menace II society" inscribed on his right arm. He also has a portrait of a man with the term "belly" engraved vertically. Other body art designs include the words "OTF" on his elbow and the initials DC on his wrist.

Back and shoulders

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr's back body art. Photo: @johnwall on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

John has the words "wall way" inscribed from one side of his shoulder to the other. He also has the words "great wall" on his upper back. Martin Luther King and the Black Movement Fists on the back of his body are also drawn on his mid and centre back. These tattoos represent the solidarity and struggle that black people go through in society.

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Leg body art

John Wall tattoos
Johnathan Hildred Wall Jr's leg body art. Photo: @DefPenHoops, @FATJEW, @djvlad on Twitter (modified by author)
Source: UGC

John Wall's favourite childhood memories are imprinted all over his legs. These include television programmes like Kim Possible, cartoons and comics like Garfield, and video games like Super Mario.

The star also has two iconic tattoos on his thigh. They include the faces of 2 Pac and Lil Wayne on his right and Aaliyah on his left. Johnathan revealed that these rappers and musicians were his favourites while growing up.

Frequently asked questions

  1. Who is John Wall? John Wall is a professional basketball player currently a free agent in the NBA. He last played for the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to the Houston Rockets.
  2. What do John Wall tattoos mean? John Wall tattoos have various significance. They represent his past, career and family.
  3. What is the John Wall tattoo on his neck? The John Wall's tattoo on his neck includes that of his late mother, Frances Pulley. He also has a clove of doves on his right side and his mom's birth and death date.
  4. How many tattoos does John Wall have? John Wall has many tattoos. The exact number is difficult to tell because of his constant body art addition.
  5. Why did John Wall get tattoos? John Wall got his tattoos to pay homage to various chapters in his life and career.
  6. Who was the first NBA player with tattoos? The first NBA player to get and play with tattoos was Dennis Roman.
  7. Which NBA player does not have a tattoo? Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul are among the famous NBA players without tattoos.

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John Wall's tattoos depict his life story and the people and places that have influenced him. He attaches a lot of personal significance to body art. They include his affection for his native Raleigh, North Carolina, his close bond with his mother, and the memory of his late father.

Who is the youngest player in the NBA? Yen.com.gh published an informative article about the 12 young active players in the NBA. Age is just a number, and these athletes have proved that being young isn't a deterrent to becoming successful in the NBA.

The NBA mandates that a draft candidate must be at least 19 years during the draft selection year. So in 2023, which players are the youngest in the league?

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Chris Ndetei avatar

Chris Ndetei (Lifestyle writer) Christopher Ndetei is a junior reporter writer who joined the Yen team in May 2021. He graduated from the Machakos Technical College in 2009 with a diploma in ICT. Chris has over two years of experience in content creation and more than ten working in the hospitality industry. He covers lifestyle/entertainment, focusing on biographies, life hacks, gaming and guides. In 2023, Christopher finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach him at chrisndetei@gmail.com